…three nights in Fort Bragg at the Harbor Lite ( http://www.harborlitelodge.com/ )& a sunny morning farewell got me running down th northern bank of Noyo Harbor by seven… (Thanksgiving Coffee, of which I’m a ’shareowner’, has its offices, roasting facility & main warehouse on th southside, maybe just a little inland from th main fishboat docks–)

th foreground of eucalyptus over piney aromas, mingled with some kelpy marine notes took me directly to La Guardia, my maternal GrandDad’s hometown in Galicia, just across Rio Minho from Portugal– wonder if anybody’s trying to propagate Albarinho vines around th NW end of Anderson Valley? –or anywhere else near these parts?

Yesterday, between gusty showers, I drove north close to Westport & visited Pacific Star– http://www.pacificstarwinery.com/pacstar/index.jspth Westernmost Winery in th lower 48, at least– (I was told there is a winery on Kodiak Island, Alaska, although they work with berries rather than grapes)–came away with three bottles of atypically subtle wine made by Sally Ottoson.Also atypical, they were what by other wineries standards might be ‘Library’ wines, with a few years of bottle age & showing nicely. My nose was still half-asleep & it was only on a second taste that th Viognier opened up for me, so I will withhold what would be woefully inadequate tasting notes & trust to share not only th V–, but their Grenache (more a ‘Claret’ to me that th Rose they label it as! –& drinking deliciously six years after harvest!) & idiosyncratic Charbono with th right people at th right time.

Un abrazo, d–

wanderlust media
grounding the virtual realm, retracing age-old footpaths to rest at home in the motion of desire.